Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

Description: This is a course for advanced students in fiction writing; the student will write a total of 30-40 pages of original fiction during the semester.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or an installment from a longer work; if the student is working on a longer project (a novella, for instance), approval must be given by the instructor ahead of time.

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion, and the student will meet with the instructor in individual conferences to discuss projects and progress.

There will also be reading from two texts.

Texts: • The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, Seventh Edition, Cassill and Bausch, editors • Dreamtigers, Jorge Luis Borges (fiction and poetry, for discussion of how the two genres influence each other).

The grade will be a matter, essentially, of the quality of the written work. Two absences are allowed, and more than that will affect the grade.

Schedule: See above.

Policies:

Documented Disability Statement: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone), or visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd.

E 385N •
Creatv Writing: Wrkshp In Fict

35035 •
Spring 2015
Meets
MW 500pm-630pm PAR 210

This is a fiction writing workshop for graduate creative writing students, those in either the New Writers Project program or the MCW program; graduate students in other disciplines (non-creative writing grad students) may be be admitted with the instructor's permission.

Writing will be turned in on three due dates spaced throughout the semester. The work for each date may be either a complete short story or an installment from a longer project (novella or novel); the student will write a total of about forty pages of fiction.

There will be workshop discussion in class of the student writing, and the student will meet with the instructor in individual conferences to discuss projects and progress. There will also be reading from three texts.

Texts:

Note: This is a tentative list, which could change, depending on availability of the books.

1. A Fine Excess, eds Gann and Herbert, an anthology built around the ideas in William Gass's essay "The Music of Prose" concerning richness of language in fiction; the book includes mostly contemporary American writing.

2. Magical Realist Fiction, eds Young and Holloman, an anthology of innovative fiction (the title is somewhat misleading, and actually much of the work isn't what usually would be considered "magical realism"), with stories by writers such as Faulkner, Woolf, Borges, Barthelme, Cheever, Bishop, Bombal, and García Márquez.

3. An issue of a good literary magazine to be named (like Agni, Tin House, or Antioch Review), for the class to examine together its contents; this should generate some discussion of literary magazines in general and how one goes about dealing with them (manuscript preparation, submission, etc.).

Requirements & Grading: The grade will be a matter, essentially, of the quality of the written work.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

Texts:The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, Cassill, ed.

Requirements & Grading: Four writing assignments: 90%; Attendance

E 385N •
Creatv Writing: Wrkshp In Fict

36037 •
Fall 2014
Meets
MW 300pm-430pm PAR 310

This is a creative writing course in fiction and poetry for students with graduate school status in any discipline, including those who are enrolled in a UT graduate creative writing program and wish to develop skills in a second genre in addition to their primary one.

There will be instruction in the essentials of fiction writing and poetry writing as well as in-class workshop discussion of student work. There will also be reading from three texts and discussion of some larger ideas concerning theory of writing, especially how the two genres—fiction and poetry—do influence each other.

Work will be due on three dates, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though if the student wishes, on one of the due dates work in the other genre may be turned in. For example, a poet might do two of the assignments in poetry and one in fiction. (Note: this is optional.)

Texts:

The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, editors Cassill and Bausch

The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, editor McClatchy

Dreamtigers, Jorge Luis Borges (fiction and poetry)

Requirements & Grading: Restricted enrollment; contact department for permission to register. The grade will be a matter, essentially, of the quality of the written work.

Schedule: See above.

E F325F •
Fiction Writing

83175 •
Summer 2014
Meets
MTWTHF 230pm-400pm BEN 1.102

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 325F •
Fiction Writing

35900 •
Spring 2014
Meets
MW 500pm-630pm PAR 103

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 355K •
Advanced Creative Writing

36080 •
Spring 2014
Meets
MW 300pm-430pm CAL 21

Description: This is a course for advanced students in poetry writing and fiction writing.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though will be encouraged to submit work in the other genre on one of the due dates; for example, a poet would do two of the assignments in poetry and one in fiction (note: this is optional, and the student can choose to work in just a single genre).

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion. There will also be reading from three texts, as well as discussion of some larger ideas concerning theory of writing, especially how the two genres--fiction and poetry--influence each other.

Texts:Magical Realist Fiction, Young and Holloman, eds. (actually an anthology of innovative fiction, not necessarily all magical realist); The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, McClatchy, ed.; Dreamtigers, Jorge Luis Borges (fiction and poetry by Borges).

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

35545 •
Spring 2013
Meets
W 300pm-600pm CAL 21

Description: This is a course for advanced students in poetry writing and fiction writing.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though on one of the due dates work in the other genre will be turned in. For example, a poet will do two of the assignments in poetry and one in fiction.

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion. There will also be reading from three texts, as well as discussion of some larger ideas in theory of writing, especially how the two genres--fiction and poetry--feed each other.

35330 •
Fall 2012
Meets
MW 300pm-430pm PAR 105

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

35335 •
Fall 2012
Meets
MW 500pm-630pm PAR 308

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

83635 •
Summer 2012
Meets
MTWTHF 230pm-400pm PAR 310

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

35360 •
Spring 2012
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm CAL 221

Description: This is a course for advanced students in poetry writing and fiction writing.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though on one of the due dates work in the other genre will be turned in. For example, a poet will do two of the assignments in poetry and one in fiction.

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion. There will also be reading from three texts, as well as discussion of some larger ideas in theory of writing, especially how the two genres--fiction and poetry--feed each other.

E 385N •
Creatv Writing: Wrkshp In Fict

35590 •
Spring 2012
Meets
T 600pm-900pm PAR 310

Graduate Fiction Writing Workshop

Instructor: Peter LaSalle

Course Description:

This is a fiction workshop for graduate creative writing students, those in either the English Department program or the MCW program.

Writing will be turned in on three due dates spaced throughout the semester. The work for each date may be either a complete short story or an installment from a longer project (novel or novella), and the student will write a total of about forty pages of fiction. There will be discussion in class of the student writing.

There will also be reading from:

(1) A Fine Excess, eds Gann and Herbert, an anthology built around the ideas in William Gass's essay "The Music of Prose" concerning richness of language in fiction; the book includes mostly contemporary American writing.

(2) Magical Realist Fiction, eds Young and Holloman, an anthology of innovative fiction (the title is somewhat misleading, and actually much of the work isn't what usually would be considered "magical realism"), with stories by Faulkner, Woolf, Borges, Barthelme, Cheever, Bishop, Bombal, and García Márquez.

(3) An issue of a good literary magazine to be named (such as Agni, Tin House, or Antioch Review), for the class to examine together its contents; this should generate some discussion of literary magazines in general and how one goes about dealing with them (manuscript preparation, submission, etc.).

E 325F •
Fiction Writing

35197 •
Fall 2011
Meets
TTH 1230pm-200pm PAR 303

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 325P •
Poetry Writing

35212 •
Fall 2011
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm PAR 302

Description: This is a beginning course in poetry writing. In the first half of the course there will be discussion of poetic theory as well as writing practice in several poetic forms, including prose poem, haiku, sonnet, and free verse. The second half of the course will essentially involve the student writing and revising about 15-20 pages of original poetry (with work submitted in two installments) and the workshop discussion of that poetry in class. There are two required texts, and the class will also read an issue of a literary magazine to be named, which should prompt some consideration of literary magazines in general and the cause of poetry they serve in America today.

Texts:The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, J.D. McClatchy, editor; an anthology of poetry.

The Weather of Words, Mark Strand; essays on poetry.

An issue of a literary magazine to be named (such as Agni Magazine, Antioch Review or New England Review).

E 325F •
Fiction Writing

35445 •
Spring 2011
Meets
TTH 600pm-730pm CAL 221

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Prerequisites: C L 315, E 603B, 316K, or T C 603B.

Course Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 355K •
Advanced Creative Writing

35635 •
Spring 2011
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm CAL 221

Course Description: This is a course for advanced students in poetry writing and fiction writing.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though on one of the due dates work in the other genre will be turned in. For example, a poet will do two of the assignments in poetry and on in fiction.

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion. There will also be reading from three texts, as well as discussion of some larger ideas in theory of writing, especially how the two genres--fiction and poetry--feed each other.

E 325F •
Fiction Writing

34550 •
Fall 2010
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm PAR 302

E 325 (Topic 1: Creative Writing: Fiction) and 325F may not both be counted.

Course Description: The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 380F •
Literature For Writers

34980 •
Fall 2010
Meets
T 600pm-900pm PAR 210

This is a course for graduate creative writing students, MA or MFA. It will examine the metaphysical element in a selection of modern and contemporary literature (prose, poetry, and drama) as well as in some painting. For our purposes, the metaphysical element will basically mean the creative imagination exploring, questioning, and ultimately—and very daringly—going beyond standard assumptions about time and space, dream and reality, etc., as perhaps true knowledge begins. The works themselves may be seen as the "messages" of the course's title.

IV. Contemporary MessagesTransparent Things, a novel, Vladimir NabokovCollected Shorter Plays, Samuel BeckettThe Lime Twig, a novel, John HawkesSelected Poems, Mark StrandBest American Fantasy 2007, edited by Anne and Jeff VanderMeer, stories by Elizabeth Hand, Kelly Link, Ramola D., Daniel Alarcón, and others. This anthology casts a pretty wide net in its definition of "fantasy," to include much postmodern experiment and also what often falls under labels such as "The New Weird."

Requirements:

Students will present weekly responses to the reading in class and will write two papers.

The first paper will be a personal essay on thinking about the metaphysical element in relation to the student's own creative writing. In the second paper, longer, the student will select a writer whose work seems metaphysical and examine that work according to ideas developed in the course, for the sort of engaging and even stylistically innovative essay about literature written by a creative writer and found in a literary magazine (rather than commentary that is simply functional, as maybe done for a research/analytical article in an academic journal).

E 325 •
Creative Writing: Fiction-W

83270 •
Summer 2010
Meets
MTWTHF 230pm-400pm PAR 302

Course Description: This is a first-level course in the writing of fiction.The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story.

E 325 •
Creative Writing: Fiction-W

34725 •
Spring 2010
Meets
TTH 600pm-730pm PAR 302

English 325 Creative Writing: Fiction

Instructor: Peter LaSalle, Spring 2010

The student will be responsible for about 30 pages of original writing. There are four due dates.

The Dates:

Thursday January 28--Description Thursday February 11--Character/Dialogue Tuesday March 9--Plot Tuesday April 27--Final Story

All work should be a final draft, typed and with pages numbered; no need for a separate title page; use staple or paper clip to attach pages.

The beginning of the course will stress the development of skills in the various aspects of narration, including writing description, probing character, and plotting. The latter part of the course will involve the writing and rewriting of a complete short story. There will be reading from a text.

E 355K •
Advanced Creative Writing-W

34865 •
Spring 2010
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm CAL 221

ENGLISH 355 K: Advanced Creative Writing

University of Texas, Spring 2010Instructor: Peter LaSalle

This is a course for advanced students in fiction writing and poetry writing.

There will be three dates on which work is due, and on each the student will turn in either a complete short story or a group of several (five or so) poems. A student will concentrate on either poetry or fiction, though on one of the due dates work in the other genre will be turned in. For example, a poet will do two of the assignments in poetry and one in fiction.

The dates:

Thursday, January 28 Thursday, February 25 Tuesday, April 13

Student work will be examined in class with workshop discussion. There will also be reading from two texts, as well as discussion of some larger ideas concerning theory of writing, especially how the two genres—fiction and poetry—influence each other.